Only tragedy jolts SA government

An unfortunate tragedy had to happen before our authorities act against ongoing criminality surrounding zama zama activities and illegal migrants in general.

For a long time our government ignored the problem because it underestimated the danger posed by illegal migrants who are found at every corner of our beloved country.

The ANC premised its inaction on a rather strange reasoning that since some of their members were in exile as refugees in countries north of us, the presence of these illegal African migrants in South Africa was justified.

To the ANC, it’s payback time for the hospitality their members received when they were hosted in those countries. This notion ignored the fact illegal migrants should not be in the country in the first place because they are illegal.

South Africa is the only country in the world that justifies illegality around migration. No other country tolerates anyone illegal within its borders.

Admittedly, Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi conceded that none of the neighbouring countries allowed illegal migrants on their soil.

According to Motsoaledi, the countries from where most of these illegal immigrants come from – such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique – have among the strictest regulations on migration.

He said our progressive migration laws had loopholes which some had found and exploited. It is easy to obtain South African citizenship.

By merely marrying a local woman, many foreigners had been able to obtain citizenship. It’s no wonder there had been a huge increase in the number of local women who found themselves married to strangers they never met.

Motsoaledi said the entire foreign permit system is corrupt and needs to be overhauled. The zama zamas have exposed the nakedness of this country’s migration system and poor policing.

The police and senior politicians know that these illegal miners are armed and dangerous but have done nothing to stop them or, at least, disarm them.

It had been established that many of them had been deported before but found their way back into the country. Despite the crisis of migration in SA, the police units dealing with migration are not properly equipped and are usually manned by a few personnel.

Often you hear political parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters and some individuals even suggesting that zama zamas must be legalised … as if that will solve the problem.

Any attempt to legalise them would backfire because non-South Africans would benefit from the trade which would cause resentment from local communities who are poor and unemployed.

The government is just lazy to do what it’s supposed to do – close those abandoned mines and send illegal migrants home.

It is unfortunate a group of innocent young women had to be allegedly raped by these illegal miners before the authorities woke up to do something.

In the West Rand, police were seen over the weekend stopping suspected illegal migrants loitering in the streets and those looking for jobs, to check their documents and legal status. How many other people must be victimised before the government takes this problem seriously and acts decisively?